Church leadership and administration: Beyond academic certifications – Part 4

(15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the, which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (16)Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17)And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Church Leadership and Administration
Whilst academic certification, enhances the quality of any leadership, including spiritual leadership, it could also be detrimental to spiritualism, if it controls the mind of the holders. Aside the qualities of Christian leadership, as mentioned by Apostle Paul, which gives equality to all, and irrespective of the background; academic qualifications have a way of bringing uncontrollable pride in the heart of man.

Academic certification makes man to see himself as superior to others, and treat them with disdain. It also gives an unquenchable impression, to those with such qualifications, as having superiority over those with lower qualifications, and those with no western education, whereas spiritual leadership teaches equality for all.

A professor in the university would expect the lower ranked lecturers and the students, to serve him and see him as ‘authority,’ whereas, the shepherd of the church, will want to serve others, through humility and meekness. He would want to humble himself/herself, so as to bring the lost sheep back to the right path. Therefore, when the church allows anyone with the former leadership perception, to govern the church, then the church cannot move forward, but will always be in one crisis or the other.

When Paul became a new creature, his secular certification still remained, but his regeneration, made him to do away with all forms of secular superiority (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11), and embraced spiritual equality. He no longer saw himself, as more intelligent than anyone, but saw all other things, from the perspective of the Grace of God, and one in Jesus Christ.

Paul no longer believes in quarreling for positions, to him now, nobody could get anything except God gives to him (John 3:27); he no longer destroyed anyone again, for he knew that, the measure by which you measure others, will you be measured (Matthew 7:2); he now knew that whosoever kills with the sword, shall die by the sword (Matthew 26:52); he now understood that the mission of the church is about bringing back to Christ, lost souls, and not by destroying lives the more.

Conclusion
Apostle Paul, through his many letters, was just telling us, that a man can be academically sound with the highest level of excellence, but can be spiritually dead. Whereas, what matters most, in walking with God, and to be able to lead his church, is to possess spiritual expectation of the leadership of the church of God, as exemplified by Christ, and reechoed by Saint Paul, and every other academic qualifications, will function advantageously to the functioning of the church leadership and administration.
Thanks and God bless.

Being Paper Presented By Baba Aladura, Elder (Dr.) Israel Akinadewo (Omoeri), Prelate, Prophet and Supreme Head, Motailatu Church Cherubim & Seraphim Worldwide at the 2018 Sub-conference and to mark the 54th Anniversary of MCCSW on Thursday 14 – Saturday 16, 2018 at International Headquarters, Motailatu Close/Bus Stop Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

References
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Warren, R., (2002). The Purpose Driven Life. Zondervan Audio Product.
Gehman, R.J., (2008). Learning to Lead: The making of A Christian Leader In Africa. OASIS International Ltd.
Heward-Mills, D., (2004). Church Planting. Parchment House.
Sharma, M. K., S., Jain (2013). Leadership Management: Principles, Models and Theories. Global Journal of Management and Business Studies. Vol 3, No. 3, pp. 309-318.
Silva, A. (2016). What is Leadership? Journal of Business Studies Quarterly. Vol. 8, No. 1.
Brown, C. (accessed in 2018). The Difference Between Secular Leadership and Spiritual Leadership – Shared Leadership Part 1 with Chris Brown. www.thriveconference.org
Heward-Mills, D., (2014). What It Means To Become A Shepherd. Parchment House.